University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Guthrie and Cunningham Named First Team All-Big Sky
11/18/2015 12:17:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Ashley Guthrie and Kendra Cunningham were named to the first team All-Big Sky on Wednesday
OGDEN, Utah – The Big Sky Conference announced its 2015 All-Big Sky Volleyball team on Wednesday, and two Northern Colorado players earned all-conference honors.
Both Kendra Cunningham and Ashley Guthrie earned first team All-Big Sky Honors.
It is the second time in each player's career that the two have been named to the All-Big Sky team, both were named to the second team last season.
Cunningham, a senior from Eaton, Colo., is tied for the conference lead in double-doubles (15) with Tressa Lyman of Idaho State and Janae Vander Ploeg of Northern Arizona. This season She is averaging a team leading, 3.36 kills per set and 2.67 digs which ranks second on the team.
In Big Sky play, Cunningham averaged 3.17 kills and 2.82 digs per set. This season she became just the seventh player in UNC history to record 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.
Guthrie, a junior from Saugus, Calif., ranks second in Big Sky matches with 11.29 assists per set, and also added in 2.55 digs per set. For the season she is averaging 10.23 assists and 2.21 digs per sets. Guthrie, who has been battling a hand injury all year, came on strong near the end of the season for the Bears gathering double-doubles in seven of the team's last eight matches. With her leading the Bears attack, she set up the top two players, Emily O'Neil (.343) and Timarie Nymeyer (.345) in attack percentage during Big Sky matches.
With the announcement of the All-Big Sky teams, the conference also game out its individual awards. Northern Arizona's Janae Vander Ploeg was named conference MVP after help leading the 'Jacks to a 15-1 Big Sky record and regular season championship.
Other individual awards announced were Newcomer of the Year, going to Hannah Sackett of Montana, Freshman of the Year to Portland State's Jenna Mullen, Libero of the Year to McKenzie Hart of North Dakota, who leads the nation in digs, and Coach of the Year to Sacramento State's Ruben Volta.
Cunningham, Guthrie and the rest of the Bears volleyball team will be back on the court tomorrow, when they face Sacramento State in the first round of the Big Sky Tournament. First serve for the match is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
To stay up to date on all things Northern Colorado Volleyball, make sure to follow the team on Twitter @UNCBearsVB and visit UNCBears.com
First Team
Allie Schumacher EWU
Tressa Lyman ISU
Hayley Farrer ISU
Makenzie Filer ISU
Hannah Sackett UM
Janae Vander Ploeg NAU
Payton Bock NAU
Jensen Barton NAU
Kendra Cunningham UNC
Ashley Guthrie UNC
Lauren Kissell SAC
Madi Forsythe SUU
Second Team
Katelyn Peterson UI
Bailey Bars ISU
Natalee Godfrey MSU
Faith Dooley UND
McKenzie Hart UND
Chelsea Moser UND
Lauren Jacobsen NAU
Sloan Lovett SAC
Kennedy Kurtz SAC
Madeline Cannon SAC
Ann Clappier SUU
Megan Thompson WSU
MVP- Janae Vander Ploeg NAU
Newcomer of the Year- Hannah Sackett UM
Freshman of the Year: Jenna Mullen PSU
Libero of the Year: McKenzie Hart UND
Coach of the Year: Ruben Volta, Sac State
Both Kendra Cunningham and Ashley Guthrie earned first team All-Big Sky Honors.
It is the second time in each player's career that the two have been named to the All-Big Sky team, both were named to the second team last season.
Cunningham, a senior from Eaton, Colo., is tied for the conference lead in double-doubles (15) with Tressa Lyman of Idaho State and Janae Vander Ploeg of Northern Arizona. This season She is averaging a team leading, 3.36 kills per set and 2.67 digs which ranks second on the team.
In Big Sky play, Cunningham averaged 3.17 kills and 2.82 digs per set. This season she became just the seventh player in UNC history to record 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.
Guthrie, a junior from Saugus, Calif., ranks second in Big Sky matches with 11.29 assists per set, and also added in 2.55 digs per set. For the season she is averaging 10.23 assists and 2.21 digs per sets. Guthrie, who has been battling a hand injury all year, came on strong near the end of the season for the Bears gathering double-doubles in seven of the team's last eight matches. With her leading the Bears attack, she set up the top two players, Emily O'Neil (.343) and Timarie Nymeyer (.345) in attack percentage during Big Sky matches.
With the announcement of the All-Big Sky teams, the conference also game out its individual awards. Northern Arizona's Janae Vander Ploeg was named conference MVP after help leading the 'Jacks to a 15-1 Big Sky record and regular season championship.
Other individual awards announced were Newcomer of the Year, going to Hannah Sackett of Montana, Freshman of the Year to Portland State's Jenna Mullen, Libero of the Year to McKenzie Hart of North Dakota, who leads the nation in digs, and Coach of the Year to Sacramento State's Ruben Volta.
Cunningham, Guthrie and the rest of the Bears volleyball team will be back on the court tomorrow, when they face Sacramento State in the first round of the Big Sky Tournament. First serve for the match is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
To stay up to date on all things Northern Colorado Volleyball, make sure to follow the team on Twitter @UNCBearsVB and visit UNCBears.com
First Team
Allie Schumacher EWU
Tressa Lyman ISU
Hayley Farrer ISU
Makenzie Filer ISU
Hannah Sackett UM
Janae Vander Ploeg NAU
Payton Bock NAU
Jensen Barton NAU
Kendra Cunningham UNC
Ashley Guthrie UNC
Lauren Kissell SAC
Madi Forsythe SUU
Second Team
Katelyn Peterson UI
Bailey Bars ISU
Natalee Godfrey MSU
Faith Dooley UND
McKenzie Hart UND
Chelsea Moser UND
Lauren Jacobsen NAU
Sloan Lovett SAC
Kennedy Kurtz SAC
Madeline Cannon SAC
Ann Clappier SUU
Megan Thompson WSU
MVP- Janae Vander Ploeg NAU
Newcomer of the Year- Hannah Sackett UM
Freshman of the Year: Jenna Mullen PSU
Libero of the Year: McKenzie Hart UND
Coach of the Year: Ruben Volta, Sac State
Players Mentioned
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